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Celebrating 40 years of conservation

2013 is the 40th anniversary of the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears - a concerted international action to protect this magnificent species and its habitat.

Due in large part to the Agreement and efforts by the five polar bear range states - Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States - polar bears still roam much of their historic range and occur in relatively large numbers today.

The commitments made by the range states in December 2013 are an important step in ensuring polar bears thrive and adapt in the coming decades.

The world says thank you

Over 40,000 people around the world signed a petition thanking the range states for their contributions, and asking them to lead the way again.

WWF International Director General Jim Leape delivers a keynote address at the International Forum on the Conservation of Polar Bears in Moscow, Russia on December 4, 2013.